I did, and hated it. So I did some surfing, and found out that you can get rid of it and go back to IE6 by just using the add/remove in your Control Panel. You have to click to show updates, and near the bottom of the list is IE7. I just removed it, and am back to IE6, and much, much happier. The next step is, when you do go to Microsoft Updates, click for custom install and unclick IE7. I am told, by the sites I consulted, that if you do that once, IE 7 won't be offered to you again in the next update alert.

Sheesh - I really despise Microsft. Their updates are often more trouble than they're worth. I wonder if they ever talk to "ordinary" computer users.

By Unschoolmom on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 07:46 am:

I've abandoned IE completely. My husband uses it but I'm hooked on Opera (www.opera.com/download/). Many of the other geeks I know swear by Firefox (www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ - it seems to be a geek favourite) and Maxthon (www.maxthon.com/download.htm) is a lot like IE but better and was my previous favourite. Try some other ones out and see if you find something you like better!

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 07:54 am:

I didn't like IE7, either. I hated how you had to click through each step of a bookmark, where now, they just flow out, under your mouse.

I have Opera on my computer, but keep forgetting to use it.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 08:22 am:

We just updated a couple of weeks ago and I actually like it. I'm weird I guess.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 08:40 am:

We updated to IE7, and don't mind it. (You're not alone Reds! LOL!)

By Sunny on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 09:18 am:

My oldest had me try Firefox a couple of years ago and I haven't gone back to IE since. I also think he managed to brainwash me into believing that Explorer is inferior! (Does that make him a geek, Unschoolmom? )

Doesn't IE7 have a lot of the same features as Firefox?

By Karen~admin on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 12:48 pm:

I love it!

By Jtsmom on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 01:14 pm:

I hate it!! I am not computer smart enough to do anything about it though! UGH

By Unschoolmom on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 03:10 pm:

Sunny - If he thought the matter was so serious that brainwashing was required, he's well into serious geek territory.

By Mommmie on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 03:21 pm:

I'm okay with it, but had to get rid of that Cleartype thing. Everything was so hard to read, but it was supposed to be easier.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 03:26 pm:

Joelle, it's really easy. Email me at klipvm at rcn dot com and I'll send you a step-by-step-by-step.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 04:15 pm:

Ditto on the Cleartype, MOmmmie. Hated that part!

By Pamt on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 07:44 pm:

We use Firefox and I could never use IE again. I love the ability to open tabs---absolutely incredible!!! Plus my DH despises Bill Gates, so anything not to use his products

By Cocoabutter on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 09:56 pm:

Firefox here, too!

I am too used to Firefox to go to any other browser anyway. I only have to use IE for Yahoo! music.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 10:39 pm:

The new IE has tabs, no?? I really like that new feature.

By Tink on Thursday, December 14, 2006 - 11:58 pm:

I switch back and forth between Firefox and IE. I like the upgrade for the most part, it's made it a little more similar to Firefox and I LOVE tabbed browsing. I doubt I could go back to flipping between different windows.

By Hol on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 12:02 am:

Hate it!! Unbeknownst to me, DH and DS Shawn were messing around with MY computer recently and installed the update. I wish that they would mind their own business! LOL!

I have IE7 at work, tho, so it's easier to keep it at home, too.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 07:43 am:

Hol, it's easy enough to uninstall. Gary and I both installed it, and uninstalled it!

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 09:46 am:

The uninstalling is very easy. You go to Start(or Search) (lower left hand button) and click Settings. Then click Control Panel. In Control Panel, click Add/Remove. Be sure to checkmark the box for "show updates". Scroll down until you get to Internet Explorer 7 (it's near the bottom), click to highlight IE7, and click Remove. You may get some "are you sure" windows, but it only takes a few minutes to remove, and then IE6 comes right back up.

CAUTION: The next time you download Microsoft Updates, be sure to click Custom or Customize updates, and review them. When you get to the IE7 update on that list, Click on the + mark to open it, UNCLICK this update, and CLICK the box under the description that says something like don't show me this update again. That way you'll never get it again, even if you do automatic updates, unless you ask for it. If you do Automatic Updates, be sure to go to the MS update site right after you remove IE7, go through the steps to update and click Custom/Customize, following the instructions above.

By Hol on Friday, December 15, 2006 - 10:11 am:

Thanks so much Ginny. I just printed your instructions so that I will have them for future use, too. Thanks again.

By Hol on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 11:59 pm:

Ginny - Shawn and I were going to get rid of IE7 tonight on both of our computers, following the steps that you provided. However, it says that if you do, you won't be able to run certain security updates. Don't we need them?

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 12:29 am:

I don't remember seeing that warning, when I took it out.

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 07:26 am:

You won't be able to run security updates for IE7, but if you aren't running IE7, you won't need them.

I got the same warning recently when I declined an update on Outlook Express. I checked with our IT guy at work about whether it would be a problem, because I recently switched to Outlook (not express). He reassured me, no problem.

You MUST remember, however, to go to the Update page, go through the process to where it asks if you want to download the updates Microsoft picks for you or do a custom download, and do a custom download. Then, when it shows IE7 as one of the updates, click on the plus next to it, uncheck the box (removing it from your download list) AND check the box at the bottom of the description that says something like never show me this one again. It will give you the usual Microsoft scold/nag messages, but then it will believe you really mean it. This way, if you are on automatic update (which I am not) or the next time you manually update, you won't be offered IE7. It will be one of the "hidden" updates that you can pick up later, if you want to, by clicking the link for seeing hidden updates.